Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Rain, glorious rain
Well it has finally rained here. It is the dryest start to winter on record and the farms are showing it. Very little green on the ground where there should be reasonable grass. I put in the wheat and oat seed last time I was in and hopefully this rain will make it germinate. We have had to feed almost all of the rolls of hay we were going to keep for next year as a reserve. Of the 700-odd rolls I made there are about 100 left.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
finished aerating
Finished another 15 acres over the back paddock so completely finished for the season. Plan tomorrow to spread the oat and wheat seed in these patches. Also have to connect up the hotwire fence we built yesterday that divides the back half into two 100 acre paddocks. Ronnie put out 2 bulls into the junction paddock for her parents cows.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Farm update for may/june
Much is happening on the farm. The cows have finished calving with no problems bar 1, who had a still-born calf. Unfortunately the cow was the daughter of my prized cow 'kobi' and we expected great things from her. She earned reprieve by adopting a calf from a set of twins and is raising it very well.
Two of the bulls have been out for 2 weeks. The murray grey with the mature cows and the black angus with the heifers and kobi and her daughter and a few of the late-calving cows. We let the last few bulls out today including the big murray grey, but hopefully all their work has been done by the previous bulls.
I have today finished aerating 35 acres in preparation for planting our first non-pasture hay crop. The varieties we are planting are 'barooda wonder wheat' and 'esk oats'. Both varieties reportedly are ideal for hay making. We will also cut about 60 acres of natural pasture for hay. The season hasn't really broken yet so the ground is well dry enough to drive on with the tractor, wheras normally by this time of the year it would be all boggy.
Kulia (our daughter) is almost saying words. She walks (or runs!!!) around singing most of the time and typical of a 16 month old is into everything. She loves playing with the animals especially my ginger cat. After breakfast in the morning she finds her boots and demands to be taken to let out and feed the chooks and ducks.
Two of the bulls have been out for 2 weeks. The murray grey with the mature cows and the black angus with the heifers and kobi and her daughter and a few of the late-calving cows. We let the last few bulls out today including the big murray grey, but hopefully all their work has been done by the previous bulls.
I have today finished aerating 35 acres in preparation for planting our first non-pasture hay crop. The varieties we are planting are 'barooda wonder wheat' and 'esk oats'. Both varieties reportedly are ideal for hay making. We will also cut about 60 acres of natural pasture for hay. The season hasn't really broken yet so the ground is well dry enough to drive on with the tractor, wheras normally by this time of the year it would be all boggy.
Kulia (our daughter) is almost saying words. She walks (or runs!!!) around singing most of the time and typical of a 16 month old is into everything. She loves playing with the animals especially my ginger cat. After breakfast in the morning she finds her boots and demands to be taken to let out and feed the chooks and ducks.
